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                           | (19) |  |  | (11) | EP 1 277 718 A3 | 
         
            
               | (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION | 
         
            
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                        | (88) | Date of publication A3: |  
                        |  | 23.07.2003 Bulletin 2003/30 |  
 
                     
                        | (43) | Date of publication A2: |  
                        |  | 22.01.2003 Bulletin 2003/04 |  
 
 
                     
                        | (22) | Date of filing: 11.07.2002 |  |  | 
         
         
            
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                        | (84) | Designated Contracting States: |  
                        |  | AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR |  
                        |  | Designated Extension States: |  
                        |  | AL LT LV MK RO SI |  
 
                     
                        | (30) | Priority: | 17.07.2001 ES 200101669 
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                        | (71) | Applicant: Industrias Ramon Soler, S.A. |  
                        |  | 08970 Sant Joan Despi (ES) |  
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                        | (72) | Inventors: |  
                        |  | 
                              Andujar, José Luis08028 Barcelona (ES)
Esteve, Joan08190 Sant Cugat (ES)
Benelmekki, Maria08100 Mollet (ES)
Ferret, Xavier08754 El Papiol (ES)
 |  
 
                     
                        | (74) | Representative: Ponti Sales, Adelaida et al |  
                        |  | Consell de Cent 322 08007 Barcelona
 08007 Barcelona (ES)
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                  | (54) | Method for coating ceramic discs and ceramic disc obtained by said method | 
            
(57) The method includes the phases of preparation of said ceramic discs once lapped and
            polished; and deposition of a layer of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (or DLC: Diamond-Like
            Carbon) on said ceramic discs, said deposition phase including the following stages:
            exposure of said ceramic discs to vacuum; application of a cleaning plasma on said
            ceramic discs; application of a first deposition plasma on said ceramic discs; and
            application of a second deposition plasma on said ceramic discs.
The ceramic disc is characterised in that it includes a layer of hydrogenated amorphous
            carbon deposited directly onto the ceramic disc.
Thereby are obtained ceramic discs for utilisation in mixer valves of single-lever
            mixer type whose friction coefficient is lower that that of the ceramic discs currently
            used, all this without loss of leak tightness, without having to use grease and with
            a low manufacturing cost.